Texas Football: The Longhorns' 2015 Offseason Checklist

Even as a young, inexperienced football team, the Texas Longhorns have a straightforward path to improvement: Find a quarterback and fix your offensive line.

The Longhorns need to recruit much better this summer. They also need to figure out how to incorporate their incoming talent and find some playmakers who can make their offense respectable.

But what this really boils down to is putting a quarterback who can win football games in command and fielding an offensive line that can protect and run-block well enough to let that happen.

Little else matters to the immediate future of the program.

1. Settle on a Quarterback

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Heard's athleticism should allow him to thrive in Texas' new offense.

Texas has to choose between junior Tyrone Swoopes and redshirt freshman Jerrod Heard this offseason. The choice shouldn't be difficult as long as the coaches embrace Heard's athleticism.

With 12 starts under his belt, Swoopes has the clear edge in terms of experience, also boasting an absolute hose that allows him to drive the ball down the field.

However, the case for Swoopes stops there. Even with his experience and arm talent, he struggled to settle into the offense and became absolutely erratic under pressure. He had his moments, but his lack of improvement as the 2014 season went on is disturbing.

On the other hand, Heard's a pure athlete who improved by leaps and bounds during the spring, as offensive coordinator Shawn Watson told reporters:

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I told him yesterday coming off the field that he's the single most important thing that's happened to this football team was his improvement. He had a great winter and we spent a lot of time together. I think just the natural process of having been in the program. Different things can happen to him from a defensive standpoint. He's seeing so many different defenses than he saw in high school. He's more comfortable with that. He's more comfortable with what we are doing and the style of play we are running and how to make decisions in that. He's really has upped the ante.

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By "style of play," Watson is referring to Texas' move toward an uptempo spread attack this offseason. Heard ran a similar attack in high school, and his ability to both extend plays and make them with his legs adds an element that can keep this offense moving.

There's always a chance things could click for Swoopes and he could turn in a solid year, but as long as Heard shows enough as a passer, Texas needs to let him go play his game.

2. Figure out the Offensive Line

Whoever ends up playing quarterback needs improved play from the offensive line. Though continuity should help, the combination of attrition and newcomers could make things messy again.

According to ESPN's Max Olson, the Longhorns went through six different lineups in 2014, which allowed opponents to pile up 29 sacks. By the second game of the season, the only players to register a start in the previous season were Kent Perkins and Sedrick Flowers.

Most of that group that slogged through the tough season will return in 2015 and get help from a trio of early enrollees. Freshman Connor Williams has already cracked the starting lineup, while Brandon Hodges and Tristan Nickelson each have a shot at grabbing a spot.

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First-team OL (left to right): Marcus Hutchins, Sed Flowers, Taylor Doyle, Kent Perkins and Connor Williams, not Tristan Nickelson.

@BDavisAAS, 18 Apr 2015

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Unfortunately, the Horns have also lost some depth. Former 5-star recruit Darius James has transferred to Auburn, while rumors have swirled on Inside Texas that Alex Anderson will also leave the program. If he does, that would make for five linemen who have packed their bags since last fall.

With the impending arrival of Patrick Vahe, the Longhorns should have enough depth to get by so long as last year's starters have improved.

This group must do a better job of protecting the quarterback and run-blocking for this offense to do any damage.

3. Recruit, Recruit, Recruit

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Ed Oliver's decision to play for Houston limits the amount of impact talent Texas will be able to bring in next season.

The recruiting woes got even worse for the Longhorns this week, as three of their top targets committed elsewhere within a day of each other. Charlie Strong and his staff need to get it going this offseason to avoid a major letdown.

Texas went from needy to borderline desperate on Friday.

Defensive tackles Ed Oliver, Kendell Jones and Jordan Elliott have all committed to play football for other programs, making it now 10 of the state's top 25 talents who have committed elsewhere.

The Horns have done well to nail down elite prospects like Collin Johnson and Shane Buechele, but it's been three months since they've added a name to this class. As a result, their class of four commits ranks 42nd in the nation, which is just behind Louisiana Tech.

There's still time for Strong to reverse his fortunes, especially with so many camps and visitors still to be hosted this summer. He'll need to do his best work to get some momentum back on the trail.

4. Find a Role for Malik Jefferson (and His Classmates)

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Jefferson's one of many true freshmen who should play a lot of football in 2015.

Malik Jefferson proved in the spring game that he's a difference-making talent—even as a true freshman. He, along with several of his classmates, needs a role from the moment the season starts.

This is going to be a young Longhorn football team. It's lost 10 starters, and much of the returning roster has either never seen the field or been unable to make a consistent impact.

Some of these guys, such as nickel corner John Bonney, will pan out, but the fact remains that some of this team's most talented players will be freshmen. Jefferson leads the pack on the defensive end, joined by future lockdown corners Holton Hill and Kris Boyd.

On the offensive end, the Horns recruited a horde of talented receivers, running backs and offensive linemen who can easily crack the two-deep roster.

The next good Longhorn team will heavily feature members of this class, so the coaches might as well get them out there early. They'll find that the flashes of brilliance will be worth the growing pains.

5. Identify Their Playmakers

Down over 60 percent of their receiving yardage and their power back, Texas has to identify a new set of playmakers this offseason.

John Harris and Jaxon Shipley have both moved on to the NFL after accounting for 1,628 of Texas' 2,599 receiving yards. Leading rusher Malcolm Brown is also gone. That leaves Johnathan Gray as the only proven option on this offense.

Though Gray could run for 1,000 yards in this offense, he's going to need help. And where it comes from is anyone's guess.

Marcus Johnson is the only returning receiver who caught more than 10 balls last season, but he failed to show any consistency in 2014. Alongside Johnson and breakout candidate Armanti Foreman, Dorian Leonard and Lorenzo Joe will battle for an outside job to give Texas a bigger body to play with.

Provided that these three and Gray emerge as the top options, the Longhorns will still have some roles to sort out. They have no clarity on a fourth receiver or tight end, and they really need an all-purpose weapon they can move around the formation.

Jacorey Warrick would be the fourth receiver if the season started today, but freshman Ryan Newsome brings dynamic ability matched only by a best-case-scenario Daje Johnson.

Newsome truly can do everything as a runner, receiver and returner, so don't be shocked to see him dominate snaps in four-receiver sets.

As for the tight end, the Longhorns are going to have five players who could earn some snaps. Fullback Alex De La Torre and Blake Whiteley are the best blockers but won't provide much in terms of big plays. Andrew Beck has good hands and can also block, though that didn't stop the coaches from playing De La Torre ahead of him in the spring game.

Then there are freshmen Devonaire Clarington and DeAndre McNeal, and the latter is the name to watch. McNeal looks like a cross between an old-school H-back and a receiver, possessing sneaky moves in the open field and the frame (6'2", 228 lbs) to move all over the formation.

Whoever emerges in all of these roles, Texas needs to make sure it can field legitimate threats to move the ball. That wasn't the case last season, and it was a big reason the offense so often got stuck in the mud.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats and information courtesy of TexasSports.com. Recruiting data courtesy of 247Sports.com.